Search

This study presents work-family multiple-role planning by female university students as a new approach to work-life balance. Accordingly, this study examines university years as a key time frame during which students establish their career paths. This study integrates the social cognitive career theory and the planned behavior theory to design and evaluate a model that explains the work-family multiple-role planning process; in addition, it develops an optimal model to predict the intentions of female university students in work-family multiple-role planning. This study has conducted a structural survey with 500 female university students. After inspecting the data, the responses of 435 participants were used in the data analysis (SEM) with SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 21.0. The findings include the following. First, suitability of predictive model presents a satisfying fit. The major factors in this study’s model (parental support, subjective norms, attitudes toward multiple-role planning, career decision self-efficacy, and outcome expectations) are verified as direct and indirect predictors of the work-family multiple-role planning intent of female university students. Second, the strongest predictive factor for the work-family multiple-role planning intent is the social environment factor (subjective norms), indicating that the influence of social pressure on intent is relatively large. The predictive model formulated under this study’s integrated theoretical framework supplements existing research that focused on attitudes toward multiple-role planning as well as provides a more profound theoretical foundation on which work-family multiple-role planning behaviors can be better understood.

Objective: This study aims to review the ergonomic literature about the musculoskeletal problems in fishing, and to suggest directions of further studies. Background: Until the 1960s, fishing was one of the dominant industries in the economy of Korea, but nowadays it is of little importance. However, the fishing industry should be sustained and the health of the people involved in the industry should be maintained and enhanced. Method: The peer-reviewed articles from international and domestic academic journals published after year 2000 were searched using Web of Science, Google Scholar, DBPia and KISS. The literature was searched by the keywords of "fishing", "fishery", "fishermen", "musculoskeletal", "ergonomic", "occupational", "injury", "health", and their combinations. Results: 20 international articles were analyzed. They could be classified into the descriptive studies on problem identification (8 articles, 40%), biomechanical or quantitative studies (4 articles, 20%), studies on the musculoskeletal symptoms (4 articles, 20%), development of intervention (2 articles, 10%), and literature review (2 articles, 10%) Only 2 domestic articles were found. Conclusion: It was confirmed that the musculoskeletal problems in fishing are prevalent and severe. More studies are expected on the ergonomic design of fishing vessels and machines/tools used in fishing work. Application: The results will be applied to guide the direction of further ergonomic research to lead the development of fishing industry.

Voltage transformers (VTs) must be highly reliable as they are essential components of the electric power industry. VT failures can cause a significant impact for important facilities such as nuclear power plants. In fact, VTs which passed the international standard, were damaged and sometimes resulted in the shutdown of the nuclear power plants. In order to improve the reliability, VTs with various iron core was studied. The electromagnetic field simulation, a saturation characteristics test, and an overvoltage breakdown test were conducted. The result shows that the magnetic flux density significantly affects the reliability of VTs. To increase the reliability of VTs, it is required to reduce the magnetic flux density by increasing the knee-point and voltage factor. Owing to limited installation space, increasing the size of the iron core is difficult. Instead, VT by decreasing the thickness of the conductor and increasing the number of turns, it was possible to reduce the magnetic flux density without the size change. Therefore, improved VTs were obtained by decreasing the thickness of the conductor and increasing the number of turns, and the improved reliability was verified through a comparison test with existing VTs. The fabricated VTs shows a significantly higher saturation voltage and breakdown time than existing VTs. Thus, by proposed VTs can contribute the stable operation of the nuclear power plant and improve the manufacturer’s quality.

The purpose of this pilot case study is to investigate the effects of Pi-lates training on hamstring/quadriceps ratio, trunk strength, shoulder strength, and body composition in adolescent baseball players. Eight adolescent baseball players, 15 years of age, participated in Pilates program (supervised training, 50 min per session for three times a week for 8 weeks) using reformer and Cadillac. The intensity of the program was progressively increased by applying beginner level for 1–2 weeks, intermediate level for 3–6 weeks, and advance level for 7–8 weeks. To verify the effect of the Pilates program on hamstring/quadriceps ratio, trunk strength, shoulder strength and body composition, participants performed bioelectrical impedance analysis and isokinetic testing at pre- and posttraining. After the Pilates training, there were significant increases in body weight (P

CONTEXT: Acute pancreatitis is an acute inflammatory disease presenting with a wide range of severity. AIMS: We investigated the predictive values of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as an indicator for severe acute pancreatitis in the emergency department patients. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This retrospective study was conducted on patients with acute pancreatitis who were diagnosed in the emergency department, from January 2008 to December 2017. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Patients were classified into either mild-to-moderate severe group or severe group according to the Revised Atlanta Classification for Acute Pancreatitis. Clinical features and laboratory blood test parameters were considered as independent variables. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Independent variables were analyzed using the Chi-square test and Mann–Whitney U-test to determine statistically significant differences between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic analysis were performed to evaluate the predictive values of significantly different variables. RESULTS: Of the 672 patients, 52 (7.7%) were classified into the severe group. Tachycardia, fever, prevalence of liver cirrhosis and chronic alcoholism, white blood cell count, NLR, C-reactive protein (CRP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, aspartate transaminase, and total bilirubin were significantly higher in the severe group. Among them, NLR (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.081–1.181), CRP (aOR: 1.011; 95% CI: 1.004–1.017), BUN (aOR: 1.036; 95% CI: 1.004–1.069), and creatinine (aOR: 1.703; 95% CI: 1.008–2.877) were significant in the logistic regression analysis. NLR showed relatively high sensitivity (82.7%) and specificity (70%) and showed the highest area under the curve (0.821). CONCLUSIONS: The increase in NLR was associated with severe acute pancreatitis. NLR is expected to be useful as a prognostic factor in patients with acute pancreatitis who are visiting the emergency department.

[PURPOSE]: In the present pilot study, we aimed to investigate the effects of the Silverrobics exercise program, which is similar to aerobic dance, on the factors related to glucose metabolism and liver enzymes. [METHODS]: Eight elderly women with obesity and impaired fasting glucose participated in the Silverrobics exercise program (60 minutes per session for five times a week for 8 weeks). The program was conducted at 50–60% of the heart rate reserve at 1 to 2 weeks and at 60–80% of the heart rate reserve at 3 to 8 weeks. To verify the effect of this 8-week exercise program on glucose metabolism and liver enzymes, blood analysis at pre- and post-training was performed. [RESULTS]: After the Silverrobics exercise program, there were significant decreases in the glucose (p

Once we acknowledge that we cannot escape politics in the classroom, it is imperative that we, as instructors, adapt our pedagogy accordingly, with the knowledge that our choices in the classroom will replicate, reinforce, or resist the political status quo. The political embeddedness of religion makes this all the more urgent for instructors of Religious Studies, as we attempt to guide students through explorations of communities, identities, histories, ideologies, and representations of human experience which all have political implications in the present. This article delineates several parameters for crafting our pedagogical initiatives, offering classroom climate considerations to keep in mind while we establish our own best practices. It then offers several suggestions—structural, instructor-focused, and student-focused—of best practices to implement in the Religious Studies classroom so as to achieve optimal learning outcomes for all of our students. Key among our conclusions is that inclusive pedagogy is effective pedagogy in Religious Studies.

[Purpose] This study aimed to study the protective effects and mechanism of Blue Honeysuckle (BH) extracts (Berries of Lonicera caerulea L.) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and obesity risk factors in a high fat-diet (HFD) model. [Methods] Animals adapted to HFD were selected after 1 week of adaption period and divided into 6 groups (8 mice in each group; 40 HFD-fed mice and 8 normal fat pellet diet (NFD)-fed mice). After the end of 12 weeks of continuous oral administrations of 3 different dosages of BH extract, 400, 200 and 100 mg/kg, or metformin 250 mg/kg, dissolved in a volume of 10 mL/kg distilled water, the hepatoprotective, hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, nephroprotective, and anti-obesity effects were analyzed. [Results] The BH extract improved fat density and mass, adipocyte histopathology, hepatocyte hypertrophy, hepatic enzyme activity, lipid metabolism, and related gene expression including ACC1, AMPK α1 and AMPK α2 in hepatic tissue, leptin, UCP2, adiponectin, C/EBP α, C/EBPβ and SREBP1c in adipose tissue. Especially, 200 mg/kg of BH extract constantly improved NAFLD and obesity risk factors through AMPK upregulation-mediated hepatic glucose enzyme activity, lipid metabolism-related gene expression, and activation of the antioxidant defense system, to a level comparable to that of metformin 250 mg/kg in HFD-fed mice. [Conclusion] BH extract has the potential to reduce the risk factors associated with obesity, in addition to the remarkable effect of preventing NAFLD. Future research will need to be done to determine whether these results are consistent in human studies.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hippotherapy and electroencephalography (EEG) neurofeedback on brain function and blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level in children with attention-deficit or/and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). [Methods] Sixteen children with ADHD participated in this study and were randomly divided into 2 groups, a 1-time hippotherapy group (W1G, n = 8) and a 2-time hippotherapy group (W2G, n = 8). All the participants attended 8 weeks of hippotherapy program in the primary training, and then 7 children with ADHD attended 8 weeks of hippotherapy program combined with neurofeedback training in the secondary training. Blood BDNF levels were measured, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed. The EEG neurofeedback training program was used to train and measure psychological factors. [Results] The combined effect of hippotherapy and neurofeedback on BDNF level showed a decreased tendency in W1G (pretraining, 1766.03 ± 362.54 pg/ml; posttraining, 1630.65 ± 276.70 pg/ml). However, the BDNF level of W2G showed an increased tendency (pretraining, 1968.28 ± 429.08 pg/ml; posttraining, 1976.28 ± 425.35 pg/ml). Moreover, combined training showed a significant group x repetition interaction in W1G (pretraining, 1436.57 ± 368.76 pg/ml; posttraining, 1525.23 ± 346.22 pg/ml; F = 3.870, p = 0.039). fMRI results showed that the left thalamus activity in both groups had a decreased tendency and a significantly lower change in W2G than in W1G (p < 0.05). [Conclusion] This study confirmed a significant increase in blood BDNF level after combined training, which may induce brain function improvement in children with ADHD.

[Purpose] Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are non-enzymatic modifications of proteins or lipids after exposure to sugars. In this review, the glycation process and AGEs are introduced, and the harmful effects of AGEs in the aging process are discussed. [Methods] Results from human and animal studies examining the mechanisms and effects of AGEs are considered. In addition, publications addressing means to attenuate glycation stress through AGE inhibitors or physical exercise are reviewed. [Results] AGEs form in hyperglycemic conditions and/or the natural process of aging. Numerous publications have demonstrated acceleration of the aging process by AGEs. Exogenous AGEs in dietary foods also trigger organ dysfunction and tissue aging. Various herbal supplements or regular physical exercise have beneficial effects on glycemic control and oxidative stress with a consequent reduction of AGE accumulation during aging. [Conclusion] The inhibition of AGE formation and accumulation in tissues can lead to an increase in lifespan.

Most microbial detection techniques require pretreatment, such as fluorescent labeling and cultivation processes. Here, we propose novel tools for classifying and identifying microorganisms such as molds, yeasts, and bacteria based on their intrinsic dielectric constants in the THz frequency range. We first measured the dielectric constant of films that consisted of a wide range of microbial species, and extracted the values for the individual microbes using the effective medium theory. The dielectric constant of the molds was 1.24–1.85, which was lower than that of bacteria ranging from 2.75–4.11. The yeasts exhibited particularly high dielectric constants reaching 5.63–5.97, which were even higher than that of water. These values were consistent with the results of low-density measurements in an aqueous environment using microfluidic metamaterials. In particular, a blue shift in the metamaterial resonance occurred for molds and bacteria, whereas the molds have higher contrast relative to bacteria in the aqueous environment. By contrast, the deposition of the yeasts induced a red shift because their dielectric constant was higher than that of water. Finally, we measured the dielectric constants of peptidoglycan and polysaccharides such as chitin, α-glucan, and β-glucans (with short and long branches), and confirmed that cell wall composition was the main cause of the observed differences in dielectric constants for different types of microorganisms.

Objective: In this paper, work time for the representative fruit crops are collected and analyzed using time-diary method, and the collected data were compared with the directly observed work time using GPS device. Background: There is no consistent conclusion which measurement method for work time is accurate. Most of the research results were collected from the environment other than rural area. Therefore, there is need to review reliability of the measurement methods for the agricultural work which are carried out for a long duration. Method: Top five crops (apple, pear, grape, sweet persimmon, and peach) were selected according to the number of farms and cultivation areas. We let fruit growers fill a work diary during one cropping period. A difference between the work-time that was recorded by the farmers and the direct observed worktime using GPS device were analyzed. Results: Average direct work time for the five fruit crops found to be 7.1% of the total work time. Conclusions and Applications: Reliability was secured by recording the daily work diary at each work stage while aware that direct observation is carried on. Data which are being collected by government institutions are obtained by the memories of the respondents. Therefore, it is needed to try the method adopted by this study in order to collect more accurate data.

Objective: This study aims to examine domestic literature on eye-tracking in the design area, and to present new eye-tracking application directions. Background: Eye-tracking was introduced in the experimental psychology field for the first time in the 1950s. Eye-tracking has high utilization values in the design application area because eye-tracking can accumulate data on what people see, providing the quantitative values on eye movement. Method: This study examined the papers published in domestic journals, as well as the papers presented in conferences from 2000 to 2016 through DBPIA. Results: Although the use of eye-tracking technology was slightly meager in the product design area, it has been actively used for the evaluation analyses of preference and attention in architecture/public design. Eye-tracking also presented a method to design advertisement that is helpful to advertisement effect measurement, and product salesin the advertisement design area. Since detail psychological analysis is possible, the application of eye-tracking in the studies related with user interface has been active. Conclusion: The eye-tracking technology is projected to be actively used as a new interface means, such as in helping in disabled people"s communication and in device control, in addition to conventional application areas. Application: This study would be of help to find future research areas of eye-tracking.

This study investigated social determinants and their interaction effects on the health of school-aged children in diverse environmental factors pertaining to the individual, family, and peers from an ecological systematic perspective. Data were drawn from the first wave of the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey (KCYPS) developed by the National Youth Policy Institute and conducted in 2010. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Cronbach a, correlation, and hierarchical regression analysis using SPSS ver. 18. The results from this study showed that sex and age were related to the health of school-aged children, as social determinants. Self-rated levels of the health of boys and younger children were more positive than girls and older children; in addition, levels of self-resilience, satisfaction of peer relation, and parenting rearing attitude were found to have a positive impact on self-rated levels of the health of school-aged children as protective factors. Especially, according to the result of interaction analysis between factors, self-resilience, and parenting rearing attitude were moderators of the effects on between sex and household income and self-rated level of the health of school-aged children respectively. The findings from this study suggested the need to expand the social intervention range to improve school-aged children`s health.

In this pilot study, we investigated the effect of spatone, a naturally occurring mineral water supplement, on endurance capacity and inflammatory cytokines in wrestlers undergoing a rapid weight control program. Nine amateur university wrestlers participated and were randomly divided into placebo- and spatone-treated groups. The study used a crossover design, including a 4-week washout period. The rapid weight control program was focused on body weight loss, while maintaining their athletic performance (muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance). The initial body weight was 87.19 ± 2.45 kg in the spatone-treated group and 86.60 ± 3.01 kg in the placebo group. After the rapid weight control program, the body weight decreased to 83.56 ± 2.71 kg (4.21% decrease) in the spatone-treated group and 82.95 ± 2.97 kg (4.16% decrease) in the placebo group. However, there were no significant differences in body weight or body composition between placebo- and spatone-treated groups. Endurance capacity improved significantly in terms of VO

Physical exercise and vitamins such as ascorbic acid (ASC) have been recognized as an effective strategy in neuroprotection and neurorehabilitatioin. However, there is a need to find an efficient treatment regimen that includes ASC and low-intensity exercise to diminish the risk of overtraining and nutritional treatment by attenuating oxidative stress. In the present study, we investigated the combined effect of low-intensity physical exercise (EX) and ASC on kainic acid (KA)-induced seizure activity and oxidative stress in mice. The mice were randomly assigned into groups as follows: "KA only" (n = 11), "ASC + KA" (n = 11), "Ex + KA" (n = 11), "ASC + Ex + KA" (n = 11). In the present study, low intensity of swimming training period lasted 8 weeks and consisted of 30-min sessions daily (three times per week) without tail weighting. Although no preventive effect of low-intensity exercise or ASC on KA seizure occurrence was evident, there was a decrease of seizure activity, seizure development (latency to first seizures), and mortality in "ASC + Ex + KA" compared to "ASC + KA", "Ex + KA", and "KA only" group. In addition, a preventive synergistic coordination of low-intensity exercise and ASC was evident in glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activity compared to separate treatment. These results suggest that low-intensity exercise and ASC treatment have preventive effects on seizure activity and development with alternation of oxidative status.

In the retina, a number of degenerative diseases, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration, may occur as a result of aging. Oxidative damage is believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of aging as well as to age-related retinal disease. Although physiological exercise has been shown to reduce oxidative stress in rats and mice, it is not known whether it has a similar effect in retinal tissues. The aim of this study was to evaluate retinal oxidative stress in naturally-aged mice. In addition, we evaluated the effects of aerobic training on retinal oxidative stress by immunohistochemically evaluating oxidative stress markers. A group of twelve-week-old male mice were not exercised (young control). Two groups of twenty-two-month-old male mice were created: an old control group and a treadmill exercise group. The old control group mice were not exercised. The treadmill exercise group mice ran on a treadmill (5 to 12 m/min, 30 to 60 min/day, 3 days/week for 12 weeks). The retinal thickness and number of cells in the ganglion cell layer of the naturally-aged mice were reduced compared to those in the young control mice. However, treadmill exercise reversed these morphological changes in the retinas. We evaluated retinal expression of carboxymethyllysine (CML), 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and nitrotyrosine. The retinas from the aged mice showed increased CML, 8-OHdG, and nitrotyrosine immunostaining intensities compared to young control mice. The exercise group exhibited significantly lower CML levels and nitro-oxidative stress than the old control group. These results suggest that regular exercise can reduce retinal oxidative stress and that physiological exercise may be distinctly advantageous in reducing retinal oxidative stress.